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Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy

Renal cell carcinoma does not respond well to chemotherapy, but it may be used to treat select patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma and transitional cell carcinoma.

Radiation therapy may be used to treat kidney cancer that has spread to the bone or brain. Or it may be used on other regions of the body to provide symptom relief in patients who are too sick to have surgery.

Side Effects

Potential side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy vary greatly from person to person and depend on the type and dose of drug(s) or radiation given, how they are given, and the length of time they are taken. Some people experience few, if any, side effects. Your doctor may give you medicines to help protect your body’s normal cells and lessen the severity of side effects or prevent them before they happen. Your doctor or nurse can tell you the side effects that are most common with your treatment, how long they might last, and how bad they might be. Promptly report to your medical team if you feel uncomfortable or ill or if you experience side effects.